Apparatus for washing receptacles automatically



March 16, 1965 L. M. WYNNE ETAL 3,173,433

APPARATUS FOR WASHING RECEPTACLES AUTOMATICALLY Filed Aug. 19, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 1 ME mm Y WW M D R A N O E .L

BEN W. YOU NG FIG. 2

ATTORNEY March 1955 M. WYNNE ETAL APPARATUS FOR WASHING RECEPTACLESAUTOMATICALLY Filed Aug. 19, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEONARD M.WYNNE BEN W. YQUNG Nfi Z8 65 TW ATTORNEY March 16, 1965 L. M. WYNNE ETAL3,173,433

APPARATUS FOR WASHING RECEPTACLES AUTOMATICALLY Filed Aug. 19, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR LEONARD M. WYNNE BEN W. YOUNG ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,173,433 APPARATUS FQR WASHING RECEPTACLES AUTQMATKQALLYLeonard M. Wynne, 1113 Holly, and Ben W. Young,

404 Hoily, both of South Pittshurg, Tenn.

Filed Aug. 19, 15363, Ser. No. M2399 2 Claims. (61. 134-58) Thisinvention relates to foods and apparatus and equipment utilized in thepreparation and treatment of containers for storing material for humanconsumption in such a manner that the containers can be reused.

The invention relates particularly to the cleaning and sterilizing ofcontainers and to apparatus in which the cleaning compound or caustic isretained and reusable while the rinsing medium is discarded as forexample by being discharged into a sewer or the like.

Heretofore many devices for washing containers have been provided, someof which have automatic, electric, or electromechanical timing devicessimilar to the timing cycles on clothes washing machines, some of whichhave attempted to salvage and reuse the caustic washing solution, andsome of which have relied upon steam, hot water, or the like for therinsing operation. These devices have been complicated, diificult toservice and maintain, time-consuming in operation, did not sufficientlyclean the tanks to make them suitable for storing material for humanconsumption, and required skilled operators.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the dll culties enumeratedand to provide novel apparatus for washing and sterilizing tanks inwhich the cleaning compound is reusable and the rinsing liquid isdischarged from the machine as well as an apparatus in which the washingand rinsing cycles are automatically controlled as for example bythermal delay relays.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tank or other object ina washing. machine in which the timing control elements may be easilyand quickly applied, adjusted and replaced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating the outside configuration of themachine of the present invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged perspective thereof with portions broken away forclarity;

FIG. 3, an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with oneof the tanks in position;

FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentary section of the means for washing theinside of the tank;

FIG. 5, an enlarged section of the tank valve cleaning head;

FIG. 6, an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the wire basket utilizedfor cleaning small detachable parts; and

FIG. 7, a wiring diagram of the control system.

Briefly stated, the present invention is an apparatus which can be usedby unskilled operators for washing and sterilizing tanks or othercontainers utilized in the storing and transporting of food and the likefor human consumption. The apparatus includes a housing in which aplurality of tanks are received and which normally wiil not operateuntil the doors are closed whereupon the washing and rinsing cycles arebegun and will continue automatically through the entire washing andrinsing cycle. A caustic is first sprayed on and into the tanks orcontainers by high pressure jets after which the caustic is drained fromthe spray area into a reservoir. The tanks are then rinsed several timeswith hot water and after each rinsing, the water is drained into a seweror the 3,173,433 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 Ice like. The washing andrinsing cycles are controlled by a series of relays of the plug-in typecontrolled by variable resistance thermal delay elements which may beeasily and quickly adjusted and replaced and are adapted to operate insequence and at the end of the cycles to stop the apparatus. A

With continued reference to the drawings a cabinet or housing 10 isprovided having a pair of relatively large doors 11 in the upper portionof the front and a pair of smaller doors 12 in the lower portion of thefront. A horizontal partition or shelf 13 is provided within the housingIt) and such partition slopes from one end of the housing toward theother so that liquid will drain down the partition to one end thereof.The lowermost end of the partition is provided with a depending wall 14and a partition extension or bottom 15 which forms a sump or well tocollect liquid which drains down the partition 13. The bottom 15 isprovided with a pair of spaced openings 16 and 17 which are normallyclosed by ball-type plugs 18 and 19, respectively. Each of the ball-typeplugs is provided with a rod 20 which extends upwardly through openings21 in the top of the housing.

The rod 20 on ball 18 is connected to a solenoid 22 mounted on top ofthe housing 10 and the rod 24) on the ball 19 is connected to a solenoid23 mounted on top of the housing in spaced relation with the solenoid 22. The solenoids 22 and 2 3 are adapted to be operated in a manner whichwill bedescribed later to raise the balltype plugs and permit the liquidwithin the sump to drain therefrom. A discharge pipe 24 is connected tothe bottom 15 in communication with the opening 16 to discharge fluidfrom the sump into a caustic reservoir 25 after the caustic has beenused to clean a series of tanks so that such caustic can be reused toclean subsequent tanks. A drain pipe 2d is connected to the bottom 15 incommunication with the opening 17 for discharging water used in therinse cycles into a sewer or the like (not shown).

A header 3% is provided within the housing It) and such header isdisposed above the partition 1-3 and located generally along thelongitudinal center line of the housing. Such header has pipes 31connected to each end thereof which extend upwardly to a position ajacent to the top of the housing. An auxiliary header 32 is connected toeach of the upright pipes 31 and such auxiliary headers extend inwardlytoward each other in substantially the same vertical plane as the header30, such auxiliary headers terminating in spaced relation to each other.The header 30 is provided with a plurality of generally upright pipes33, each of which has a spray head 34 mounted thereon and each of suchspray heads is adapted to extend into a tank or container 35.

The tanks illustrated are of the type which can be pressurized and whichnormally have dome shaped ends to withstand the internal pressures andwith a filling opening 36 at one end which, if desired, may have a cap(not shown) for closing the opening when the tank has been filled. Inorder to subject the contents of the tank to pressure, such tank isprovided with a pair of valves 37 by which air or other fluid underpressure is introduced into the tank after the material has been placedtherein and the tank has been sealed. The valves 3'7 are protected fromwear and tear by providing such tank with a skirt 38 extending upwardlyabove the valves 37. To maintain the tanks in an upright position eachtank has a skirt 39 forming an extension of the cy indrical body andprojecting downwardly to a position below the domed end thereof.

Each skirt 38 is provided with an annular inset portion 40 which engagesone of a plurality of rings 41,

each of which is connected by a pair of pipes 42 to the header 30. Eachring has a plurality of orifices 43 around its upper periphery so thatfluid from the header 30 will flow into the ring and will be dischargedthrough the orifices against the tank. When a series of tanks areinserted in the housing, each tank is inverted so that the spray heads34 extend upwardly through the opening 36 into the interior of the tankand the skirt 38 rests upon the ring 41. In order to ma ntain the tankin position a finger 44 of flexible material is mounted on a supportplate 45 which in turn is mounted on the inside of the rear wall of thehousing. In order to apply tension to the tank a spring 46 has one endconnected to the support plate 45 and the opposite end pivotallyconnected to the finger 44 intermediate the ends thereof to exert adownward force on the free end of the finger.

The auxiliary headers 32 are each provided with a series of downwardlyextending pipes 47 each of which terminates in a spray header 48 havingnozzles 49 on each end so that fluid from the auxiliary headers willflow into the spray header and be discharged through the nozzles 49 insuch manner that the spray from the nozzles will impinge upon the tanks.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and it is desirable that the valves 37 beopen during the cleaning of the tanks and that the fluid used in thecleaning and rinsing of the tanks be simultaneously injected into thevalves for the purpose of cleaning such valves. This is accomplished byproviding a pair of pipes 50 connected to the header 3% and locatedadjacent to the ring 41, and each of such pipes is provided with anozzle 51 in which one of the valves is received and each of suchnozzles has means for opening the valve to permit the ingress of fluid.

If desired a basket 52 of open wire construction may be located withinthe housing and such basket is adapted to receive small detachable partssuch as tank caps and the like for cleaning and sterilizing the same.The basket is supported by a pair of posts 53 attached to the header 3tand adapted to support the basket ther above. The header 3% is providedwith an outlet 54 having a spray nozzle 55 disposed beneath the basket52 so that fluid will be discharged from the header 30 onto the smallparts within the basket.

The reservoir 25 is located in the bottom portion of the housing and thefluid therein is adapted to be heated in any desired manner (not shown).The heated fluid is removed from the reservoir through a pipe 57 bymeans of a pump 58 driven by a source of power such as an electric motor59. The caustic is discharged from the pump through a pipe 60 into theheader 30 under the influence of a cut-off valve 61 operated by asolenoid 62. The cut-off valve 61 is connected to the header 30 by aninlet pipe 63. The water or other fluid used in the rinse cycles isintroduced into the apparatus from a main 64 through a cut-off valve 65operated by a solenoid 66 and such valve is connected to the inlet pipeby a nipple 67. The water used in the rinse cycles preferably has beenheated to at least 180 F. to destroy any bacteria remaining in or on thetanks or containers.

An electrical element receptacle 68 is mounted on the end of the housingin a readily accessible position. A plurality of plug-in type relays 70through 85 inclusive are mounted within the receptacle 68 along withtransformers 86 through 89. Electrical energy is supplied to the machinethrough lines and 91 and such energy passes through an indicator typefuse holder 92 and is subjected to an on-ofif switch 93 and a pair ofdoor switches 94.

In the operation of the device the front doors 11 are opened and aplurality of tanks 35 are placed within the housing and the switch 93 isclosed. The door switches M will be C osed when the doors 11 of thecabinet are shut and when the door switches are closed a cycle begins.Power is applied to the electric motor 59 through a contact 7 on relay$1 and such motor drives the pump 58 and causes the caustic to beremoved from the reservoir 25 and forces such caustic through the line69 and the cut-off valve 61 into the inlet pipe 63 and then into theheader 3t) and auxiliary header 32.

Simultaneously power is applied through a contact 98 on the relay $2 toenergize solenoids 22 and 23 and open the normally closed caustic drainplug 18 and close the normally open water drain plug 19 to permit thecaustic to return to the reservoir and prevent any wasting thereofthrough the water drain. At the same time contact 99 on the relay 82will energize the coil of the relay 8%) to apply power through a contact100 to energize the transformer 86 and begin the timing cycle on relays70, 71 and 72. The closing of the relay 80 also will transmit powerthrough the relay 71 to energize solenoid 62 and open the normallyclosed cut-off valve 61 to permit the pump to force the caustic throughthe pipes 60 and 63 into the header 3t) and auxiliary headers 32. Avariable resistance thermal delay elernent 101 connected to thetransformer $6 will delay approximately 15 seconds and then energize therelay which in turn energizes relay 81 and breaks the contact 97 to stopthe motor 59. The relay 81 is locked closed by a line 102. When themotor 559 has been cut off, the solenoid 62 will cause the valve 61 toremain open for approximately 60 seconds due to a variable resistancethermal delay element 103 on the transformer 86 to permit caustic withinthe headers 3t) and 32 to drain back through the pipes into thereservoir 25. A third variable resistance thermal delay element 1%connected to the transformer 86 will delay approximately 60 seconds andthen energize the relay 72 which in turn energizes relay 82. Thisde-energizes the relay 8t} and takes relays 7d, 71 and 72 out ofcircuit.

When the relay 82 is energized the solenoids 22 and 23 will be reversedso that the solenoid 22 will again close the caustic drain and thesolenoid 23 will open the water drain. The solenoid 62 likewise willclose cut-off valve 61 when the relay 7]. is taken out of circuit.

When the relay 82 is energized it will be locked closed by a line 165and will remain closed during the remainder of the cycle so that causticcontrol relays 70, 71, 72, 8t) and 81 will remain inoperative. Powerwill be applied to the transformer 87 starting the timing cycle ofrelays 73, 74 and 75. A variable resistance thermal delay element 106connected to the transformer 87 will delay ap proximately 5 seconds andthen energize relay 73 which in turn energizes relay 83. When the relay83 is energized, solenoid 66 will open the cut-off valve 65 and permitrinse water from the main 64 to flow through the nipple 67 into theinlet pipe 63 and into the headers 30 and 32. A variable resistancethermal delay element 107 connected to the transformer 87 will permitthe rinse Water to flow for approximately 15 seconds after which therelay 74 will be energized so that relay 83 will be taken out of thecircuit and the solenoid 66 will close the cut-off valve 65 and stop theflow of water from the main 64. When the flow of water has been stoppedthe water in the sump will continue to drain for approximately 10seconds after which variable resistance thermal delay element 108connected to the transformer 87 will energize relay at which timeapproximately seconds have elapsed since the start of the Washing cycle.

The energizing of relay 75 will apply power to the relay 84 and startthe timing cycle of relays 76 and 77 and transformer 88. The closing ofrelay 84 will again energize the solenoid 66 and cause the cut-off valve65 to open to permit water from the main 64 to again pass through theheaders 30 and 32 to rinse the tanks for the second time. Afterapproximately 15 seconds a variable resistance thermal delay element 110connected to the transformer 83 will energize relay 76 which in turnwill cause the solenoid 66 to close the cut-off valve 65 and stop thesecond rinse. After approximately seconds a variable resistance thermaldelay element 1111 connected to the transformer 38 will energize relay7? which in turn will energize the relay to begin the third rinse cycle.At the end of the second rinse cycle, approximately 120 seconds havepassed.

When the relay is energized power is applied to the transformer 8? andsimultaneously the solenoid 66 controlling the cut-off valve 65 is againopened to permit water from the main 64 to again enter the headers 3tand 32. After approximately 15 seconds a variable resistance thermaldelay element 112 connected to the transformer 89 will energize the coilof relay 7% which will stop the flow of current to the solenoid do andpermit such solenoid to close Valve 65 and stop the flow of water to theheaders. After approximately 15 seconds more a variable resistancethermal delay element 113 on the transformer 89 will energize the relay79 which in turn will energize a signalling device 114 such as anincandescent light or buzzer to indicate that the cycle is finished andthat the doors 11 may be opened and the tanks removed. The total washingand rinsing cycle may be of any predetermined length although 150seconds have been found satisfactory.

A test switch 115 is provided which may be closed to bypass the doorswitches 94 in the event that the operator wishes to run the washerthrough a cycle with the doors open. If the operator wishes to test justthe rinse cycle a switch 116 is provided.

It will be apparent that any of the relays for the variable resistanceelements can be changed in a matter of seconds simply by changing thevalue by removing one tube and replacing it with another of differentvalue.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may bemade in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for washing and sterilizing food receptacles comprising ahousing, a generally horizontal partition within said housing, a sump insaid partition, said sump having a pair of drains, means for selectivelyoperating said drains, a caustic reservoir located below said partitionfor receiving fluid from one of said drains, a fluid header in saidhousing above said partition, a series of spray elements mounted on saidheader, means for sup porting a plurality of receptacles within saidhousing and exposed to said spray elements, pump means for removingcaustic from said reservoir and discharging it through said sprayelements onto said receptacles, means for selectively introducing rinsewater into said header and said spray elements, means for dischargingwater from said sump, automatic control means mounted on the exterior ofsaid housing, said automatic control means inits.

relays simu torn said. water introducing means to rinse saidreceptacles.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said automatic control meansincludes a first series of replaceable tube type relays, a firsttransformer energized by certain of rural delay elements carried by saidfirst transformer and adapted n sequentially and simultaneously, asecondary series of relays energized sequentially by said first seriesof relays, a second transformer operated by certain of said secondseries of relays, multiple thermal delay elements on said secondtransformer controlling certain of said second series of relays tooperate said water inlet valve means and said water drain sequentiallyand simultaneously, a third series of relays energized by and insequence to said second series of relays, a third transformer controlledby certain of said third series of relays, multiple thermal delayelements on said third transformer controlling certain of said thirdseries of relays to operate said water inlet valve means and said waterdrain sequentially and simultaneously, a fourth series of relaysenergized by and subsequent to said third series of relays, a fourthtransformer in of said fourth series of relays, multiple thermal delayelements carried by said fourth transformer for controlling certain ofsaid fourth series of relays, whereby said caustic will be dischargedthrough said. header and returned to said reservoir and subsequentlywater will be discharged through said header a said first relays,multiple variable resistance t to operate said pump means and. saidcaustic d 30 controlled by certa plurality of times.

FOREIGN PATENTS 7/55 Italy.

OTHER REFERENCES German application G6,l99X/34c, Mar. 29, 1956.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

Hues 134-170 X Dary 134-169 X Stoddard 134-58 Low 134-58 Babson 134-95 XNuss'oaum 134-95 Faust et al. 134-199 X Jacobs 134-95 X Trott 135-58 X

1. APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND STERILIZING FOOD RECEPTACLES COMPRISING AHOUSING, A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PARTITION WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A SUMP INSAID PARTITION, SAID SUMP HAVING A PAIR OF DRAINS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELYOPERATING SAID DRAINS, A CAUSTIC RESERVOIR LOCATED BELOW SAID PARTITIONFOR RECEIVING FLUID FROM ONE OF SAID DRAINS, A FLUID HEADER IN SAIDHOUSING ABOVE SAID PARTITION, A SERIES OF SPRAY ELEMENTS MOUNTED ON SAIDHEADER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF RECEPTACLES WITHIN SAIDHOUSING AND EXPOSED TO SAID SPRAY ELEMENTS, PUMP MEANS FOR REMOVINGCAUSTIC FROM SAID RESERVOIR AND DISCHARGING IT THROUGH SAID SPRAYELEMENTS ONTO SAID RECEPTACLES, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY INTRODUCING RINSEWATER INTO SAID HEADER AND SAID SPRAY ELEMENTS, MEANS FOR DISCHARGINGWATER FROM SAID SUMP, AUTOMATIC CONTROL MEANS MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR OFSAID HOUSING, SAID AUTOMATIC CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFREPLACEABLE RELAYS, A SERIES OF TRANSFORMERS OPERATED SEQUENTIALLY BYCERTAIN OF SAID RELAYS MULTIPLE VARIABLE RESISTANCE THERMAL DELAYELEMENTS CARRIED BY EACH TRANSFORMER AND CONTROLLING CERTAIN OF SAIDRELAYS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND SEQUENTIALLY, WHEREBY SAID AUTOMATIC CONTROLMEANS WILL OPERATE SAID PUMP MEANS TO SPRAY CAUSTIC ONTO SAIDRECEPTACLES AND THEREAFTER OPERATE SAID WATER INTRODUCING MEANS TO RINSESAID RECEPTACLES.